Moses and the Burning Bush
1Moses was taking care of the flock of his father-in-law Jethro. Jethro was the priest of Midian. Moses led the flock to the western side of the desert. He came to Horeb. It was the mountain of God. 2There the angel of the Lord appeared to him from inside a burning bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire. But it didn’t burn up. 3So Moses thought, “I’ll go over and see this strange sight. Why doesn’t the bush burn up?”
4The Lord saw that Moses had gone over to look. So God spoke to him from inside the bush. He called out, “Moses! Moses!”
“Here I am,” Moses said.
5“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals. The place you are standing on is holy ground.” 6He continued, “I am the God of your father. I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. And I am the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard that, he turned his face away. He was afraid to look at God.
7The Lord said, “I have seen how my people are suffering in Egypt. I have heard them cry out because of their slave drivers. I am concerned about their suffering. 8So I have come down to save them from the Egyptians. I will bring them up out of that land. I will bring them into a good land. It has a lot of room. It is a land that has plenty of milk and honey. The Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites live there. 9And now Israel’s cry for help has reached me. I have seen how badly the Egyptians are treating them. 10So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh. I want you to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. They are my people.”
11But Moses spoke to God. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” he said. “Who am I that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12God said, “I will be with you. I will give you a sign. It will prove that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship me on this mountain.”
13Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the people of Israel. Suppose I say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ And suppose they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?”
14God said to Moses, “I am who I am. Here is what you must say to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
15God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord is the God of your fathers. He has sent me to you. He is the God of Abraham. He is the God of Isaac. And he is the God of Jacob.’ My name will always be The Lord. Call me this name for all time to come.
16“Go. Gather the elders of Israel together. Say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, appeared to me. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God said, “I have watched over you. I have seen what the Egyptians have done to you. 17I have promised to bring you up out of Egypt where you are suffering. I will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. It is a land that has plenty of milk and honey.” ’
18“The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders must go to the king of Egypt. You must say to him, ‘The Lord has met with us. He is the God of the Hebrews. Let us take a journey that lasts about three days. We want to go into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ 19But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you and your people go. Only a mighty hand could make him do that. 20So I will reach out my hand. I will strike the Egyptians with all the amazing things I will do. After that, their king will let you go.
21“I will cause the Egyptians to treat you in a kind way. Then when you leave, you will not go with your hands empty. 22Every woman should ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for things made out of silver and gold. Ask them for clothes too. Put them on your children. In that way, you will take the wealth of Egypt along with you.”
Mose Ne Gyaframa No
1Na Mose rehwɛ nʼase Yetro a ɔyɛ Midian sɔfo nguan. Ɔde nguan no wuraa sare no mu kɔɔ akyirikyiri koduu Horeb a ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn bepɔw3.1 Onyankopɔn bepɔw yɛ Bepɔw Sinai. no so. 2Prɛko pɛ, na Awurade bɔfo nam wura bi gyaframa mu yii ne ho adi kyerɛɛ Mose. Mose huu sɛ wura no redɛw nanso na ɛnhyew. 3Enti Mose kae se, “Mɛkɔ akɔhwɛ anwonwade yi ahu nea nti a wura no nhyew.”
4Bere a Awurade huu sɛ ɔrekɔhwɛ no, ɔfrɛɛ no fii wura no mu se, “Mose! Mose!”
Mose gyee so se, “Me ni.”
5Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Mmɛn me. Yi wo mpaboa na faako a wugyina no yɛ asase kronkron.” 6Ɔtoaa so se, “Mene wʼagyanom Nyankopɔn, Abraham Nyankopɔn, Isak Nyankopɔn ne Yakob Nyankopɔn no.” Mose kataa nʼanim, efisɛ na osuro sɛ ɔbɛhwɛ Onyankopɔn anim.
7Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Mahu amanehunu a me manfo a wɔwɔ Misraim no wɔ mu no, na mate wɔn nkotosrɛ a ɛfa wɔn nnwuma wuranom ho, na minim wɔn ahohia. 8Maba sɛ merebegye wɔn afi Misraimfo nsam na mayi wɔn afi Misraim asase so de wɔn akɔ asase pa a ɛso bae so, asase a ɛwo ne nufusu wɔ so; asase a Kanaanfo, Hetifo, Amorifo, Perisifo, Hewifo ne Yebusifo te so no so. 9Mate Israelfo no su na mahu nya a Misraimfo di wɔn no. 10Enti afei, merebɛsoma wo akɔ Farao nkyɛn, na woakoyi me man Israel afi Misraim.”
11Mose kae se, “Mene hena a ɛsɛ sɛ mekɔ Farao anim akoyi Israelfo afi Misraim asase so?”
12Onyankopɔn buaa no se, “Mɛka wo ho. Adansede a ɛkyerɛ sɛ me na masoma wo no ni. Sɛ wuyi nnipa no fi Misraim a, mobɛsom Onyankopɔn wɔ saa bepɔw yi so.”
13Mose bisae se, “Sɛ mekɔ Israelfo no nkyɛn kɔka se wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn na wasoma me na wobisa me se, ‘Onyankopɔn bɛn na mereka ne ho asɛm no’ a, mmuae bɛn na memfa mma wɔn?”
14Obuaa Mose se, ka se, “Mene nea ɔwɔ hɔ daa no. Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Mene Nea Mene na wasoma me mo nkyɛn.’ ”
15Onyankopɔn toaa so se, “Ka kyerɛ Israelfo no se, ‘Awurade a ɔyɛ mo agyanom Abraham, Isak ne Yakob Nyankopɔn na wasoma me mo nkyɛn.’ ” Eyi ne me din a wɔde bɛkae me daa fi awo ntoatoaso so kosi awo ntoatoaso so.
16“Kɔ, frɛ Israelfo mpanyimfo na ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Awurade, Abraham, Isak ne Yakob Nyankopɔn no daa ne ho adi kyerɛɛ me, kae se: Mawɛn mo na mahu nea wɔde ayɛ mo wɔ Misraim. 17Mehyɛ bɔ sɛ meyi mo afi mo awerɛhow mu wɔ Misraim de mo akɔ asase a Kanaanfo, Hetifo, Amorifo, Perisifo, Hewifo ne Yebusifo te so nnɛ yi a ɛwo ne nufusu wɔ so no so.’
18“Israelfo mpanyimfo betie wʼasɛm no. Na ɛsɛ sɛ wo ne mpanyimfo no kɔ Misraimhene hɔ kɔka kyerɛ no se, ‘Awurade, Hebrifo Nyankopɔn, ne yɛn ahyia na waka akyerɛ yɛn se, yentu nnansa kwan nkɔ sare so nkɔbɔ afɔre mma no.’ 19Nanso minim sɛ Misraimhene remma mo kwan da, gye sɛ nsa bi a ɛyɛ duru hyɛ no ketee. 20Enti mɛteɛ me nsa na mede anwonwade ahorow a mɛyɛ wɔ wɔn mu no nyinaa atia wɔn. Ɛno akyi no, ɔbɛma mo akɔ.
21“Mɛma mo anim aba nyam wɔ Misraimfo no anim na wɔahyehyɛ akyɛde ama mo, na moankɔ no nsapan. 22Ɔbea biara mmisa dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ adwinne ne ntama pa mfi nʼafipamfo ne ne fifo mmea nkyɛn na wɔmfa nsiesie wɔn mmabarima ne wɔn mmabea ho. Saayɛ so na mobɛfa afow Misraimfo no.”
